KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — Though there is still two months to go till the expiry of the nationwide state of Emergency, the Pahang state assembly has started preparations for its first sitting this year.
The Pahang state assembly and state council meetings chief assistant secretary Muhamad Anuarudin Mohd Yusoff@Ahmat issued a letter dated June 1 informing all 31 assemblymen of a sitting from August 16 to 20.
In the same letter, the assemblymen were asked to propose five questions, limited to 45 words each.
The notice also reminded all assemblymen to submit their questions by June 16 on the state assembly website.
Seven Pahang DAP assemblymen welcomed the notice, though they acknowledged that the sitting is subject to the lifting of the Emergency proclamation.
“This significant decision will definitely be able to return Pahang to a normal democratic system and allow assemblymen to review and balance the state government especially on issues such as the Covid-19 epidemic, economic crisis, education and welfare of the people,” they said in a joint statement today.
The statement bore the names of the DAP elected representatives: Lee Chin Chen (Bilut), Leong Yu Man (Triang), Chow Yu Hui (Tras), Kamache Doray Rajoo (Sabai), Young Shefura (Ketari), Woo Chee Wan (Mentakab) and Chiong Yoke Kong (Tanah Rata).
The seven also urged the federal government to take a leaf from Pahang and prepare for Parliament to sit again without any delay.
“If the Pahang state government can show the will and the wisdom to reconvene the state assembly then Parliament, as the main legislative body in the country, should not have any reason to avoid its duties.
“The nation now faces an extraordinary challenge but it is not an excuse to close Parliament. Instead, Parliamentary sessions are needed during the pandemic, whether virtual or physical, so that issues such as Covid-19, economic crisis, education crisis as well as poverty that the B40 is facing can be debated in Parliament,” they said.
“This should be prioritised and expedited to ensure that the government receives the check and balance from all Parliamentarians in the august hall. Only by this way, the nation is able to combat Covid-19 together,” they added.
